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What do you do?
I need advice on how do you get out of your comfort zone once you are in front the camera. I am not afraid I just freeze alil. Oct 30 14 06:36 am Link Jonathan Jones-Roberson wrote: From the other side of the camera, if a subject seems tense I've been known to tell him/her that "it's silly faces time!" and spend 10 minutes shooting every grotesque contortion they can come up with. Similarly, I've been known to tell a model "I'm going to blast some music for a few minutes, and I want you to go crazy!" You tend to lose your self-consciousness when you're dancing around like a loon. Oct 30 14 06:53 am Link Perhaps you are simply freezing because you lack experience? That's not unusual, and the photog needs to find ways to make you comfortable and relaxed, to get the best images. That's part of the job........although obviously one we like to be able to minimize. The more people you can shoot with, even if just short shoots of an hour or so, the easier, it will become. Test all you can, with anyone you can, to get more comfortable in front of the camera. If you have a friend, who is a camera bug, get them to shoot with you, just to get used to the process, with someone you feel comfortable with. Oct 30 14 08:58 am Link Practice in front of the mirror! Figure out what poses look good, how your face looks from different angles/expressions etc. Maybe even develop a short pose flow to get you into it - just rope together 8-9 poses and move through them almost like you're warming up. If the photographer wants something specific they'll say, and it gets you over that barrier and into the right mindset for the shoot. Oct 30 14 11:51 am Link You have asked questions about "look" 11 times in various forums. You seem to be going round in circles on this question of "face". Your portfolio largely includes "face" shots, but you have got some real positives from talented people on your physique look. Could it be that you are missing a strength or shooting the wrong kinds of looks with the wrong kinds of photographers? And that is making you uneasy about one aspect? I'd say, get out of the studio and its artificial world, all your photos are studio shots, and get into the real world where photographs are more natural and you can interact in a different way with a photographer, have fun, let your character come out. PS Your best photo is the boxing photo on your Facebook. Why isn't it in your MM portfolio? That has great face expression and physique. Oct 30 14 11:48 pm Link Ken Warren Photography wrote: That is glorious Oct 31 14 09:26 am Link Jonathan Jones-Roberson wrote: similar to what Ken Warren stated, I as well often play music, and even tell them to make 10 random faces while listening to music. It also helps (imo) when your photographer lets you know that it's okay to relax, shake off whatever tension is present and have fun! Oct 31 14 08:19 pm Link You could try an old theater trick by facing a wall and just thinking of yourself as a model. It's called "getting into character." Relax, enjoy your work and go with it. Practice, practice, practice. I'd tell you to just think of everyone looking at you in their underwear but with some of the folks I've heard about, you never know. They could be. (JK) Oct 31 14 11:02 pm Link I really like Ken Warren's response. I've not been as dramatic as that, but his ideas are encouraging. It's the photographer's show...and they should know how to get you warmed up....which really means relaxed. There is no substitute for time in front of the camera, and manytimes with a new model I will just fire away, telling the model they can do no wrong...while complimenting certain poses...and also showing them some of the shots on the camera back. (Next time I'll spice this up with Ken's ideas.) Sometimes I'd rather the model stop modeling...especially when I'm getting a strained look...and just act natural. As one last thing...I like for the model to be doing something...or thinking about something which in turn should provide a certain look. If you are shooting with photographers that just say "start modeling" I don't think this will work well for you at this point. Oct 31 14 11:38 pm Link i think it's partly on the photographer to help with this. the photographer needs to find a way to get the model to loosen up. if all else fails drink. very experienced models can pretty much do it all on their own but newer models sometimes need some help. Nov 02 14 09:04 am Link What exactly are you thinking about when you start freezing up? Nov 02 14 09:33 am Link Get naked, that will fix it.  Nov 02 14 02:29 pm Link Caitin Bre wrote: What should I do next Nov 03 14 08:28 am Link Jonathan Jones-Roberson wrote: Try to do things in front of the camera that you don't have to think about... be a goofball for a minute... laugh at yourself... jump up and down... walk a little bit... talk with the photographer... put your mind on something else... what would you like for lunch? where's your next vacation going to be? Nov 03 14 08:32 am Link You have all the essential qualities, and you are doing all the right things to make yourself as marketable on MM as possible. Now you just need to work with some good photographers of male nudes in your area, and there are some very good ones, who will help relax you and help you through the nerves. Once you've got a few nude shoots sorted then you'll find everything else will be easy. Nov 03 14 08:48 am Link when I shoot, I have specific instructions for the model to follow. so I don't have a problem with models not knowing what to do. I spend perhaps 5% of my shoot with the model improvising or just doing something freestyle, and 95% is written down in a structured manner. I bring a notebook with a long list of everything I want to shoot, and I read off each item to the model right before I start shooting each item. I make sure to bring a long enough list that I will not run out. I will have about 200 different poses on my list. I also have a collection of sample poses, that can be printed or shown via a smart phone, and I demonstrate what I am looking for if I need to, so the model can copy me and do the same pose. my advice is that you make a list of what you think a model should do, and you practice it, perhaps build a routine. Jan 13 15 11:28 pm Link |
